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I always wanted to drive a monster truck. This week’s tester almost made me feel like I had fulfilled that wish on my bucket list. The 2016 Nissan Titan XD is a big truck. Not quite Bigfoot or Grave Digger, the Titan has a big name and is also now affiliated with a big name in the heavy-duty truck world. Cummins, once exclusive with...

It’s good to see General Motors not treating one of their coolest vehicles as just a flash in the pan. When it debuted in model year 2011, the Chevrolet Volt was revolutionary. It was the brainchild of automotive legend Bob Lutz. The Volt was his pet project and one of his last big stamps he left on General Motors. Like other electric...

How good is the Hyundai Genesis? It’s so good that the Korean automaker has decided to launch an entire luxury product line - similar to Lexus and Acura - using the Genesis name. It seems apropos because the Hyundai Genesis was the Korean automaker’s first offering in the luxury car segment. And it was a huge hit. I’ve seen...

You know that restaurant that you like, that you always go back to over and over? That’s sort of like my tester for the week. The 2016 Honda Accord never disappoints. Perhaps that’s why it’s a top-selling vehicle. Few vehicles resonate so broadly as the Accord. It’s hard being all things to all people, but the Accord...

One word kept coming to mind this week with my tester – BIG. Or, perhaps a certain Presidential candidate may say UUUGE. The 2016 GMC Sierra Denali is big (or huge) in all regards. The Sierra is the more luxurious version of the Chevrolet Silverado, and while the Silverado outsells the Sierra, the Sierra is the one that’s big...

This week’s vehicle can be called a crossover, because that’s technically what it is. But with all due respect, it doesn’t look much like a crossover, and certainly doesn’t perform like one, either. The Fiat 500X is in a class of its own, really. With some Italian inspiration, it shares the “cutesy” looks...

By adding one letter, my test drive subject went from very good to exceptional! Who knew one letter could make such a difference? The little car in question this week is the Cadillac ATS and that one letter that changes everything is V. The 2016 Cadillac ATS-V turns this compact sporty car into something truly special. The ATS was already...

Say you were playing a game of “Family Feud” and the question was, “Name something associated with Malibu.” Your likely answers would be Barbie, California or rum. General Motors and Chevrolet would like to also make sure their midsize sedan is first on your mind when you hear the name Malibu. In the ultra-competitive...

Competing in the midsize segment is quite a challenge. There are so many quality vehicles in this segment, many with loyal customers. That’s why it’s refreshing to see the Kia Optima go through a redesign for this model year. Former Wheels editors Dave Mikesell and Jimmy Dinsmore get behind the wheel of the 2016 Optima and see...

For coming in such a compact package, the 2016 Mazda3 can mean different things to different people. Passenger mover? Can do. Small-project hauler? Got it covered. Stylish in any format? Good looks are its forte. So, is it a chameleon in sheet metal? Nope, but it is a sedan and hatchback. Taking us into both versions are former Wheels editors...

It’s important to be open-minded when you’re an automotive journalist. Just because you didn’t like a certain vehicle in the past, doesn’t mean it doesn’t get a fair shake the next time you get behind the wheel. That’s the case with my tester this week – the 2016 Subaru Forester. The Forester gets...

Sometimes you have to split the difference. Compromise. Find some common ground. That’s where my tester for the week comes in. Even within the General Motors family, the 2016 Buick Enclave has to find its sweet spot. The Enclave slides comfortably between its stablemates, the Chevrolet Traverse and the GMC Acadia. Within the highly...

There is just something about new cars that attract former Wheels editors Jimmy Dinsmore and Dave Mikesell like sumo wrestlers to a Vegas buffet. Now, if the conversation was about dressing well, their opinions might be called into question. But the two have been around the automotive world for a while. The latest entrée in the new...

There are redesigns, then there are redesigns. The Across Generations tester for the week is a complete and utter overhaul and the end result is a not only a redesigned SUV, but practically an altogether new vehicle. The 2016 Hyundai Tucson is now in its third generation. With totally new looks, the Tucson emerges looking modern and ready...

With little pomp and fanfare, my tester for the week is one of the best-selling vehicles on the road - outselling such names as Civic, RAV4 and Accord. That’s saying something for sure. The 2016 Chevrolet Equinox is one of the top-selling SUVs in the country and the second best-selling vehicle in all of General Motors, behind the Silverado...

Five years is an eternity in the car industry. That’s how long the Hyundai Elantra has worn its look. But, despite that, the Elantra still seems current, which speaks to Hyundai’s design prowess. But don’t be fooled, there’s plenty new for the 2016 model year for the Elantra. First and foremost, Hyundai is doing something...

For more than 30 years, Chrysler has dominated the minivan segment. It’s a segment that’s seen highs and lows. Now there are fewer competitors left in the minivan segment. And Chrysler is still standing, or rather sitting, in comfort with ample legroom. My tester this week is the 2016 Chrysler Town & Country Touring Anniversary...

If my tester this week had a theme song it might be the Luke Bryan song “Kick the Dust Up.” Why you ask? First, Luke is my daughter’s favorite singer, and my tester this week, the 2015 Jeep Wrangler, happens to be her dream vehicle (even though she’s three years away from being able to drive legally). Regardless, I...

Every automaker wants to be considered progressive. For Kia, one of its latest examples of moving in a refined direction is the 2016 Sorento. The one-time compact sport-utility vehicle is on a growth spurt, gaining three inches over the previous version with the additional space being found across the board as it heads into the midsize category...

My tester this week would be the Jan Brady of the car world. To continue this analogy, the Chrysler family of vehicles is like the Brady Bunch. And in this comparison the Chrysler 300 would be Marcia, the beautiful and popular one, and the Dodge Challenger would be Cindy, the attention-grabbing sibling. That leaves my tester as the poor,...